Little Victories

The cover art for Killing Red has arrived, and it’s outstanding! If you got here by way of my homepage then you’ve already seen it. If not, please take a moment to check it out, I’ll wait…

I do believe that cover art sells books. At the very least, a compelling cover can separate a book from the pack, and coax potential buyers into picking it up.

This one does everything it’s supposed to. It rocks!

I had imagined what the cover of my book might look like, as any author would. This cover looks nothing like what I had imagined—it’s much, much better.

You may already know that most authors have very little if any say over what their covers will look like. I’ve watched readers walk up to an author and tell them, “I love the covers of your books.” To which the author replies, “Thank you, so do I.” This is not any sort of arrogance on the part of the writer, but rather a bit of gratitude for the gifted artist whose vision is now forever linked to theirs.

I was in the middle of a productive day of writing when the cover arrived. Well, so much for that. It’s okay, though. An wise author friend of mine once told me that the moments of success for a writer can sometimes feel like they’re few and far between. So it’s important to celebrate them, no matter how small. A buddy of mine who is working on his first book recently emailed to tell me that he capped a particularly good day of writing with a nice glass of wine. Well done.

Whether it’s starting a new novel or completing a short story, finishing an outline or reaching a word count target. However you choose to mark these achievements, make sure to take a moment to enjoy what you’ve accomplished. If you string enough of them together, they could add up to something much bigger.

Now, please excuse me as I try to stop looking at the cover of Killing Red so I can get some work done.